Friday Things
1. Play time is serious business around these parts. They love each other, I swear!
2. There are two times of year that scream “pie!” to me – Thanksgiving and summer. What’s your favorite summer pie? I need to get baking!
3. This past weekend was Operation Get Flowers and Add Color to the Yard, and I’m happy to report we were successful. Love the pops of purple and pink!
4. This Buzzfeed list of 30 Words That Have A Different Meaning After You Turn 30 is so, so true. Love it, especially since I just caught some Friends reruns earlier this week.
5. On Tuesday, my Chief Culinary Consultant did some painting at our house, so I took Einstein and Duke to my mom’s for the day. Dogs and paint do not mix! My mom’s lab/greyhound mix, Bella, is 15 (FIFTEEN!) and still going strong. She and Einstein used to play all the time, but her legs are a little too frail for that now. So, imagine my surprise when Duke sidled up next to her in the living room, giving her a gentle, pseudo-hip check, and she turned around, got on her hind legs and gave him a couple of good swipes with her paws. The old girl’s still got it :)
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6. I watched Walk the Line for approximately the umpteenth time this week. I don’t think I will ever tire of that movie, it totally grips me and I always get goosebumps at the end.
7. I am currently splurging on Edy’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup and waffle cones at my house. What’s in your freezer right now?
8. Speaking of ice cream, I have a confession. I say this with the disclaimer that I have never been to Italy and had real gelato, but I’ve tried a number of different gelato flavors and… I just don’t like it! They all seem to have a weird sort of taste/consistency; am I just not finding good stuff?! Give me the scoop on gelato!
9. I had a dream about meeting my grandparents for lunch at Uno’s the other night (which is odd because there isn’t one near me and I’ve only been 2 or 3 times in my life), and now I’m craving deep dish pizza like mad. I might have to make it happen this weekend.
10. TGIF! This face, OMG… Duke says hi :)
I luv this kofta s… I had a packet of soya chunks lying in my kitchen rack as my son is nt eatin them wen I use it fr biryani ..I was puzzled as hw to make him eat and I did this today and I can hear the munching sound :)… I used Kuzhi parynaiam pan to cook it… ;)
Lol… I could tell you “OMG Gelatooo!!! it’s the next best thing after, let’s say, the remote control!”. But if you don’t like it….you don’t. Not all italians love pasta and not all americans love burgers and not all human beings love gelato…. gelato has a different consistency due to it’s less-frozen-than-ice-cream texture and, to be honest, it’s not hard to make a disgusting gelato.
I guess the only you need is a plane ticket to Naples!
You’ll know then….
It’s so funny, I’ve been wanting to watch Walk the Line lately. I walk around the house singing some of the songs. As for gelato, order some from Zingerman’s Creamery – you’ll be a convert. And I need to get baking pies too. Rhubarb and sour cherry are on my radar.
I did not like gelato until I went to Gelato Fiasco in Portland, ME, it is fantastic.
Lemon Cream Pie!!! Or (nonalcoholic) Grasshopper Pie!
Fresh peach pie is the BEST!! How much longer til peach season? I can’t wait! I could eat a lug all by myself! Can’t wait!
I feel the same about gelato. Not my thing AT ALL. In my freezer right now is Blue Bell Mint Cookies ‘n’ Cream ice cream. AMAZING. They have so many wonderful flavors but I tend to get stuck on one and my husband tends to look at me funny if we have more than one carton at a time (not that it stops him from eating it!). Strangely, I’m not a fan of Mint Chocolate Chip but the Mint Cookies ‘n’ Cream is a different story entirely!
By the way–the one about “classic rock” is hilarious because I love listening to Lithium (90s alternative) on Sirius/XM and I was just thinking a few days ago (on the 15th anniversary of my high school graduation–eek!) about how that music is now about as old as the “oldies” I used to listen to on family vacations in the car.
Yes, I listen to Lithium, too!! This was my 16th high school graduation anniversary ;-) I saw an episode of Parks and Recreation awhile ago and some high school kids referred to REM as classic rock. I was like, oh my, I’m old!
What a coincidence! I’m looking for flowers too! Those are so pretty…what kind are they?
Hi Jessica, The pink ones are geraniums. The purple ones are petunias.
I just got back from a trip to Italy and learned that even in Rome, 80% of the gelato is fake; made with powder! When you have “real” gelato, it tastes a world of a difference. Huge indicator if you are eating fake gelato is if their pistachio is a bright green. Natural pistachio gelato should be an Earthy green. Real gelato is truly amazing; rich and creamy.
Making gelato isn’t really different from making ice cream, and it’s totally different when it’s made fresh. I like to make mine with a touch of amaretto and crumbled amaretto cookies.
When I was a teenager, we went to Italy for five weeks. (My mom is from Naples.) I literally ate gelato 2-3 times a day, each time getting two or three scoops of different flavors. It was to die for! The closest thing I’ve had in the U.S. was at a cafe in Carmel, CA a dozen years ago.
I just love your doggy pics-they are even more delicious than your food pics (if even possible). I do know you get it though. Regarding gelato-I guess I must try Talenti having eyed it many times. I was in Italy 10 years ago and had it twice a day-loved the raspberry!! Ice cream and it’s imitators are a food group to me.
Puppies, pie, and peanut butter cups! Thanks for sharing!
Gelato, if you go back to historical St Augustine, there is a Restaurant that serves the best Gelato in the world, there were people visiting from Italy saying it was better than anything there Café Hildalgo, the sandwhiches are outstanding, but the Gelato is to die for I went back 3 times in 1 day, they let you sample. Google Café Hildalgo… you wont be sorry if you go
Hey Michelle!
Hope all is well with you! You have to send me a pic of your moms dog- billy and I also have a lab greyhound mix and I’d love to see what she looks like! Duke is getting so big!!!
Hope you enjoy the weekend and the beautiful weather!
Debbi, Congratulations!! I will email you. Are Max and Georgia with your parents now?
Given that you live in Pittsburgh, you must try Mercurio’s in Shadyside! Their honey sunflower is my favorite, but they’ve got traditional flavors like hazelnut (nocciola) and stracciatella. They have won several national competitions for their gelato, and I hear that their pizza is also good. Maybe you haven’t liked it because the ones you’ve had have been flavored with additives?
Well, this is timely given that we just got back from a 3 week trip to Italy a month ago (where we had gelato daily, sometimes twice a day). I LOVE ice cream, and I LOVE gelato, but they are different animals and I prefer gelato because I like a soft, almost melty consistency and gelato captures that perfectly. If you like a harder, firmer texture, you may not like gelato ever. I agree with other posters-sadly, nothing in the grocery store compares to fresh, Italian gelato-unlike ice cream, where you can find very good brands in groceries that compete with ice cream shops. Talenti is the closest we’ve found and though good, it’s not on the level of actual Italian gelato. Gelato has to be creamy, almost melty, and has a more intense flavor. My husband likes to set the container of Talenti out on the counter for about 5-10 minutes to let it thaw a bit and get closer to that consistency the Italians do so well. If Talenti doesn’t cut it, get thee to a gelato shop and see how that works for you. I have yet to taste any state side gelato as there are no shops in our town, but my guess is they’re closer to the real thing than grocery brands. Last resort? Go to Italy and taste away (rough assignment, I know). If you don’t like it there, then you just don’t like gelato. If you’re interested in the particulars, these are good articles:
http://www.foodrepublic.com/2013/08/13/whats-difference-between-ice-cream-and-gelato
http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2012/07/whats-the-difference-between-gelato-and-ice-cream.html
My two Goldies love face fighting and they making a lot of noise while doing so
On Pies: My favorite summer pie is peach. There is just nothing like a fresh homemade peach pie – mmmm!
On Gelato: The best gelato I’ve had stateside is from Paciugo – it is a chain in 15 states, so check it out. But gelato doesn’t taste as good here as it does in Italy!